


tell me about the ghosts that cling to you

by earlgrey_milktea



Series: milktea's saso2017 fills [8]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: 'i see dead people' au, Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Gen, Slight Emotional Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-02
Updated: 2017-06-02
Packaged: 2018-11-08 03:31:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11073162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/earlgrey_milktea/pseuds/earlgrey_milktea
Summary: yachi can see ghosts. she's terrified to let anyone know---especially kiyoko-senpai.





	tell me about the ghosts that cling to you

**Author's Note:**

> original prompt thread [here](http://sportsanime.dreamwidth.org/21522.html?thread=10282002#cmt10282002)

There are maybe sixty-seven ghosts in the school building. That’s she’s seen so far, anyway. Most of them just hover in their respective corners, either not seeming to realize they’re dead, or not paying the living any mind. The rest of them are friendly enough, though Hitoka is still afraid to make eye contact. For the most part, the ghosts leave her alone, and she them, and that’s fine.

Today, however, there’s a boy in Karasuno’s winter uniform, sobbing in the flower garden. Hitoka hesitates, glancing around, before stepping closer.

“What’s wrong?”

The boy blinks up at her. “You can see me?”

Hitoka nods. She really shouldn’t, but she could never find it in her to say no to someone, dead or alive. “Do you maybe... need help with something?”

“My flowers,” the boy says. He points to the trampled flowers where he hovers. “My flowers,” he wails.

“Oh,” Hitoka says, “Oh dear. Um! I can—I can probably fix it for you! If you want?”

The boy doesn’t get a chance to answer, because a familiar voice interrupts them from the window above the gardens.

“Hitoka-chan? Is something the matter?”

“K-K-Kiyoko-senpai!” Hitoka can feel her cheeks turning red. “Nothing! I’m just... thinking of planting more flowers!”

“I see.” Kiyoko blinks down at her. “Would you like some help?”

“O-Oh, you don’t have to—”

“It’s fine,” Kiyoko says, and she smiles, and Hitoka’s so, so gay. “Let me find a gardening club member to ask for materials, okay?”

When the third year is gone, Hitoka crouches, fanning her face. The ghost boy has stopped crying now, looking at her curiously. She shakes her head. “Sorry about that, um... which flowers was it?” 

 

 

 

Kiyoko keeps catching Hitoka talking to ghosts after that. She tries to be discreet, she really does, but Kiyoko has a habit of appearing when Hitoka least expects it. Hitoka would be honoured any other time to have the most beautiful girl in the world show up around her but not like this. Not when she’s talking to things normal people don’t see. Normal people wouldn’t want to see.

Hitoka knows it’s creepy. And it’s not like she wanted this strange power. But if she can help ease these spirits’ lives—or, um, afterlives?—then she’ll do her best. 

She just hopes Kiyoko never finds out.

 

 

 

Then Kiyoko comes to practice with a small dog at her heels.

Hitoka can’t help her gaze trailing the little dog as Kiyoko crosses the gym to open the equipment room. It jumps around Kiyoko, trying to gain her attention, yipping and barking and headbutting Kiyoko’s legs when she stops moving. 

It’s a ghost, and Hitoka feels her heart break.

“Hitoka-chan?” Kiyoko is looking at her. “Is something the matter?”

“N-Nothing!” Hitoka says, waving her arms. She tears her gaze away from the dog, which has stopped nudging Kiyoko and is now turned towards Hitoka, head cocked to the side. That’s when she notices the redness around Kiyoko’s eyes, even underneath her glasses. Despite her own rules to keep her secret safe, Hitoka finds herself asking, “Kiyoko-senpai, are you alright?”

Kiyoko’s eyes widen. “Yes, I’m... why do you ask?”

Hitoka flounders. “I just... You look... sad? Did something happen?” 

“Ah,” says Kiyoko. Her hands rest on the volleyball cart. “Our... dog, Mochi, passed away last night.”

“I’m sorry,” Hitoka says quietly.

“Thank you. We’ve had her for a long time, and she’s been sick for a while, but...” Kiyoko gives her a smile, but Hitoka sees the way it wobbles at the edges. She wants to reach out and—she doesn’t know what she’d do, but she wants to do something. Anything, to take away that sadness staining Kiyoko’s expression.

Slowly, Hitoka lowers her gaze and catches the dog’s eye. Mochi pads over, nudging at Hitoka’s leg. Kiyoko hasn’t moved, lifting her hands to wipe at her eyes. Hitoka crouches down and gently brushes the dog’s fur. It’s cold to the touch, like sticking her fingers into a snowcone, but it’s soft. Mochi presses into her palm, then turns back to Kiyoko, and barks quietly.

“Oh,” Hitoka says. She looks back up at Kiyoko to find the older girl blinking down at her curiously. “Mochi loved you a lot, doesn’t she?” 

“I suppose so.” A puzzled look enters Kiyoko’s eyes as she follows Hitoka’s gaze, as she takes in Hitoka’s position on the floor. “Hitoka-chan,” she says softly, “Mochi is here, isn’t she?”

Hitoka stares up at her. She bites her lip. Squeezing her eyes shut, she nods once. “She’s... I think she wants you to know that she’s okay now. She’s trying to make you feel better, I think.”

Kiyoko crouches down, too. She can’t see Mochi, so she keeps her eyes on Hitoka’s face. “Can you tell her that I’ll be okay, too?”

Hitoka pats the dog again, and Mochi nudges Kiyoko once more. Then, with one last lick on Hitoka’s palm, the dog trots away, disappearing out the door.

It’s quiet in the gym. The boys will be here soon, but for now, Hitoka sits with Kiyoko on the floor, sniffling slightly. She’s afraid to meet Kiyoko’s eyes now.

“Hitoka-chan,” Kiyoko says, a little wetly. “Thank you.”

“I-I didn’t—”

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s—it’s not. It’s creepy, I know, I didn’t want you to know, but I can’t help it, I’ve always been able to see them and I just. You looked so sad I wanted to help I’m sorry—”

“Hitoka-chan.” Kiyoko’s voice is back to normal now. “It’s not creepy. I think I suspected, but it’s not creepy. You’re gifted, Hitoka-chan, and that’s an amazing thing.”

Something lifts from Hitoka’s chest. It’s the first time someone has said that to her. She suddenly feels like crying again for a completely different reason.

When she finds the courage to look back up again, Kiyoko’s smile blooms sunshine throughout Hitoka. She smiles back.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm @puddingcatbae on tumbl and twitt


End file.
